The drive machine is, for example, an internal combustion engine also known as an engine. A method for monitoring the operation of a drive train of a motor vehicle in which at least an emergency program is provided, where the input signals are checked for the presence and/or plausibility is disclosed in the German Patent No. 10 2007 021 871 A1. The emergency program is activated as soon as a signaling error is detected. The function of the emergency program is monitored and an error management procedure is initiated as soon as an error in the function of the emergency program is detected.